Introductions
by NinjaDevil2000
Summary: Lily Luna Potter meets Severus Snape. Written for a grammar challenge.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. It all belongs to J. K. Rowling. And anyways, I'm definitely not as good a writer as the Queen of Literature.**

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this story. It is a sort of sequel to my other story, _Namesakes_, so it might help you to read it first, although it is not necessary. The current ages of the children are as follows: James - 15, Albus - 13, and Lily - 11. Lily just got sorted into Gryffindor, like, an hour before this story. Also, Professor McGonagall is close with the Potters so she calls them by name in an informal environment. Alright, please enjoy and review. **

**Written for the IWSC Grammar School Round 10**

**Focus: Introducing a Story (Start with Action and Revisit the Beginning at the End)**

**Word count: 973**

_xxxxx_

"Come on, Lils!" Albus said, pulling his little sister along.

"Where are we going, Al?" Lily asked.

"We're going to Professor McGonagall's office."

"Why?" Lily asked interestedly.

"Oh, come on, you two," groaned James from behind them, who was reading his copy of the latest edition of _Quidditch Through the Ages_. "Just shut up. We'll be there in, like, four seconds and then you'll know." And sure enough, as the three siblings turned a corner, they saw a large stone gargoyle behind which was the entrance of the Headmistress's office.

"Wow, that's so cool," Lily exclaimed as they approached it.

"Oh, hang on a moment," Albus said as they stopped. "I don't know the password."

James moaned. "Great, so you dragged me all the way down here, away from my friends, but you don't even know the password? Just great."

"Oh, shut it, James," Lily snapped. "Al, do you have any ideas?"

"Well," said Albus, thinking. "The password is always a type of Quidditch term."

Lily looked thoughtful. "James?" she said, turning to her eldest brother.

"What?" James murmured, not even looking up from his book.

"Did you hear anything Albus just said?" Lily said exasperatedly.

"Nope," James replied, still intently reading.

"We need your Quidditch expertise," Lily said in mock sweetness. "Will you help?"

James, always eager to show off his Quidditch knowledge, finally looked up from his book.

"Okay," James said, shrugging. Thinking for a moment, he finally said, "Wronski feint."

To Albus' and Lily's utter astonishment, the gargoyle instantly sprang to life.

"Beginner's luck," Albus muttered as James smirked and jogged up the staircase and knocked on the door.

"Come in," said the brisk voice of Professor McGonagall. "Ah, the Potters," she greeted as they entered the office and walked towards her desk.

"Hey, Minnie," James replied idly, grabbing a handful of Sherbet Lemons from the jar on the desk and popping one in his mouth.

"Hello, James," Professor McGonagall replied, rather exasperatedly.

"Professor?" Albus began.

"Yes, Al?"

"I was wondering if I could introduce Lily to Professor Snape."

"Of course you can," she replied, smiling fondly at Lily. "Professor Snape is over this way." She stood up and led them over to the opposite wall where dozens of pictures hung. Two portraits caught Lily's eye more than the others. One had the name _Albus P. W. B. Dumbledore_ engraved upon it, and its occupant was sleeping. He looked old and kind, and he had grey hair and a long grey beard. The other frame had the name _Severus T. Snape _engraved upon it, and its occupant was a pale man with a hooked nose and slick black hair who was also snoozing. He looked younger than Dumbledore, but he also looked more troubled. Lily recognized them both, for her parents had pictures of the two teachers in their home.

"I met them both in my first year and I told Professor Snape that I would bring you here to meet him when you came," Albus clarified.

"Why would he want to meet me?" Lily asked confusedly.

"Well, I – uh – he'll tell you," Al said evasively.

"Professor Snape?" said Professor McGonagall, rapping on the edge of the frame with her knuckle. "There's somebody here who wants to meet you." Snape stirred and sat up straighter.

"Albus," Severus greeted formally, completely ignoring James' presence. "And who –?" he broke off, eyeing Lily closely.

"Professor Snape," Albus began, "I want you to meet my sister . . . Lily."

Severus was shocked at the resemblance. If Albus hadn't said "my sister," Severus may have well assumed it was Lily Evans, his longtime love, reincarnated. "You look just like your grandmother," he said softly. Lily smiled and took a few steps closer to the portrait.

"My dad's always said that," she said. "Apparently, I have my mum's eyes though. Dad always says that if I had eyes like his, I'd look exactly like Grandmum Lily."

"Yes," said Snape, rather distractedly. "Indeed, you would. Where were you sorted?" he asked.

"Gryffindor, just like Mum and Dad!" Lily said happily. "Nothing against Slytherin, though," she added hurriedly, remembering that Albus was in Slytherin. "Professor Snape?" she continued hesitantly.

"Yes?" Severus replied in a kind voice.

"Al said that you wanted to meet me. I was wondering why."

Severus sighed. "Lily, your grandmother and I were very close. We were best friends for a long time. I loved her."

"What happened?" Lily asked softly.

Severus sighed again. "We slowly drifted apart. She was sorted into Gryffindor, while I was sorted into Slytherin. We continued to spend time together together for a year or so, but then we . . . changed. I changed into a person I was not proud to be, and Lily didn't like me anymore because of it. Then, one day, something . . . happened. I said something I regretted for the rest of my life, something I still regret even in death."

"What did you say?" Lily asked.

"I called her a mudblood."

Severus thought for sure that Lily was going to be angry, but instead, she merely said, "I know you didn't mean it."

Severus attempted to say something but found his voice blocked by emotion. Professor McGonagall, obviously sensing the emotion in the room, interrupted the conversation. "Perhaps you three should come back later when it's not so late. I have a lot of things to do to prepare for my first class and such. Off with you."

"See you, Minnie," James said, grabbing another handful of Sherbet Lemons, nose still buried in Quidditch rules.

"C'mon, Lily," Albus said. He tugged on Lily's arm slightly, but she didn't budge.

"I'll be back soon," Lily promised, looking at Severus with understanding eyes.

"I look forward to it," Severus returned, allowing himself a smile.

And with that, Albus pulled Lily out of the office, the wooden door clicking shut behind them.


End file.
